Approximately 60 people gathered on North Albro Avenue to check out the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust’s newest reserve, Wernick Farm, at its grand opening on June 18.

“As you’ll discover, it’s really a hidden gem,” DNRT executive director Dexter Mead said to the crowd. He listed handmade ponds, open fields, a blueberry patch, and a glacial pudding stone as a few of the main attractions before passing the microphone to Gary Newfield, grandson of the original farm owners, Norman and Charlotte Wernick.

“From the moment that Bubbie [grandma] moved out of this house, we looked for ways to preserve it,” said Newfield. “It’s truly a dream come true,” he said, despite the five-year on-again, off-again discussions with DNRT.

The four-hour event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, refreshments, and guided tours through the property.

Newfield aided in the ribbon-cutting ceremony with his mother, Reva, while his siblings—Heidi, Sandy, and Marsha—watched from the crowd.

Six or seven years ago, DNRT was able to work out a bargain-and-sale agreement, explained DNRT’s Haven Roosevelt. The Trust spent about a year raising funds from the Dartmouth Community Preservation Fund, the Bafflin Foundation, and 72 families and individual contributors before closing on the property in December 2014 for $260,000.

Since then, Land Manager Linda Vanderveer and Land Stewardship Assistant Kate Losey have spent about 300 hours removing farm buildup (including 80 tires and 30 dumpsters worth of rubbish) from the 62-acre property and establishing four trails, which total to two miles.

The changes did not go unnoticed.

“I’ve never really walked around the whole pond because it was never clear enough to walk around,” said Reva.

DNRT also brought in a contractor to remove four buildings that were damaged beyond repair and to build a road and parking area.

The farm—once teeming with chickens, goats, and a pony—now houses foxes, deer, a box turtle nest, and a plethora of birds.

“That’s the red shouldered hawk!” said Vanderveer, while leading guests around the green trail. “They’ve been nesting here for at least two years." She also identified the sounds of a phoebe bird, a yellow bellied sapsucker, and an ovenbird.

Vanderveer also spent time identifying plant species with guests. She passed around spicebush and sassafras samples to sniff, and pointed out oak, pine, and ash trees, along with goldenrod, milkweed, and cinnamon ferns.

There is still work to be done, she said, but it mostly includes removing the invasive vegetation.

“This is a gift, and I’m glad others get to enjoy it,” said Newfield.

The Wernick Farm trails are open for hiking, horses, and bikes. No motorized vehicles are allowed.